MOTHER @ 924 BROADWAY

Fellow Film Club Members and Movie Buffs:

April is now behind us. May Day has occurred, and Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner. Spring tweaks a film buff’s fancy, and the Tacoma Film Club has just the panacea for such urges. Join us Friday, May 4th for a screening of MOTHER (2009), a wonderful Korean drama directed by the mercurial Bong Joon-Ho. He is only 43, a graduate of the Korean Academy of Film Arts, he has become Korea’s most successful director, with films like BARKING DOGS NEVER BITE (2000), MEMORIES OF MURDER (2003), and THE HOST (2006) creating the highest grossing box offices hits that country has ever seen. Bong has been invited to sit on juries at both Cannes and Sundance film festivals.

Trivia: Kim Hya-Ja is the “grand dame” of Korean cinema, mostly doing very glamorous roles. She relished this opportunity to share her raw side. MOTHER has been the winner of numerous film festival and critic’s awards. “Mother” and “Murder” are spelled the same when translated to Korean characters.

Roger Ebert wrote: The film is labyrinthine and deceptive, and not in a way we anticipate–it becomes a pleasure for the mind.”

MOTHER (2009)

Directed by Bong Joon-Ho @ 129 minutes.

The film stars Kim Hya-Ja, and Won Bin.

Synopsis: Mother is a devoted single parent to her simple-minded 27 year old son. One night he was seen stalking a school girl, who was found dead the next morning. An apathetic police force and judicial system resulted in a speedy conviction. So the Mother conducted her own personal investigation, hoping to clear her son’s name.

Joe Morgenstern: “An absolutely phenomenal film. This is filmmaking of a high order.”

Tagline: She will stop at nothing.

The cinematography was done by Kyung-Pyo Hong, who has lensed 18 films since 1998, including CHAMPION (2002), and TYPHOON (2005). The original musical score was written by Byung-Woo Lee.

James Berardinelli wrote: “A deftness of touch is required for a director to switch their focus from dark comedy to detective thriller in mid-stream.”

So mark your calendars for Friday, May 4, 2012, and join the Tacoma Film Club for the screening of MOTHER (2009). The film will be shown at 924 Broadway, in the Pythian Temple, street level, across from the Theater on the Square, in the heart of Tacoma’s Theater district. Join us early at 6:15 p.m. for fellowship, and choosing the perfect chair to view the movie from. Those who are so inclined are welcome to bring snacks and beverages, including wine, to share with the group. The TFC screenings are free, but we do appreciate donations to help with the costs of renting the space monthly. We are still handing out membership cards for those folks who want to join the TFC for 2012. John Wayne joins the past TFC card celebrities Robert Mitchum, Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, and James Dean. Look for our large club banner hanging out front. The movie runs 129 minutes, and will screen at 7:15 p.m. after some brief announcements and hosting. The curtain will come down around 9:45 p.m. See you at the movies!